How Hard Is Your Job?

[Lianne]

I used to be a nanny (lived in for 5yrs then out for 9yrs)

Nannying was similar to home daycare but more stressful because there was only one child and they often wanted a play partner. Home daycare is busier in that I'm now caring for 5 kids needs at once. At least with a home daycare, if my housework doesn't get done because the kids are needy or I'm lazy, my 'boss' won't get upset with me and I can just do it the next day

[Daycaremomof2]

ALM- you said it! My oldest will be in kindergarten next year and my youngest is 1, but we are TTC #3 so I am in it for a few more years

[Zoe]

Like every job, there are pros and cons.

I've worked in retail, customer service, elementary and special ed teaching, and now daycare. I LOVED retail but knew I didn't want to do it for the rest of my life. Teaching was my dream but it quickly faded after getting into it. I hated it.

I've always been a home-body and hate being told what to do. I'm quieter around multiple adults, thus making the teaching interviewing process darn near impossible.

It never occurred to me how perfect daycare was for me until I started watching a friend's baby while I was at home with my own newborn. I'm my own boss, get to stay home with my own kids, get to stay in the house (no commute! no suits!), play all day with wonderful children, my dogs don't have to be cooped up all day, the list goes on!

I haven't had as many problem families as some of you have had. Maybe because I don't take crap from people, maybe from sheer dumb luck. IDK! The only downside I have is the constant cleaning and feeling like I'm never really off duty. But when I hear anyone complain about their job outside of the house, I realize just how lucky I am.

So to answer your question, I don't think my job is that hard at all. And I'm in it for life.

[Meeko]

I work long, hard hours. I deal with difficult parents. I get thrown up on. I get snotted on. I even get pooped on.

And it's the most satisfying job ever and I wouldn't change it for the world.

Here's to another 27 years......

[Blackcat31]

I lovethis my job. I even went back to school and earned my teaching degree and I am still in the child care business.
I have grown children who no longer live at home and am still in the child care business.
I've had my share of tough kids and difficult parents (although those have been a very rare thing in the last several years)....but I still never threw in the towel.

I have dedicated daycare space, I have specific hours I work, I have parents who are respectful and are appreciative of me and what I do, I have daycare children who LOVE coming everyday and who have made life long friends that they have "grown-up with" at daycare.

I have a job my DH can participate in.

I have a job where I am the boss.

I have a job that can be the worst job in the world or the best job in the world and whether it is the greatest or the worst is strictly up to me!! happyface

(.... psst, to those of you who are wondering,^^^^ THAT is the key to whether you love or hate this job! Recognizing that YOU have the power to make it great or not.)

[Sunchimes]

THAT is the key to whether you love or hate this job! Recognizing that YOU have the power to make it great or not.)

So, so, so true!!! Sadly, I didn't know this when I started. Oh how different this past year would have been had I found the forum last January instead of this fall. I approached this as a service job. "My job is to be at your beck and call and do things your way." I've found the start of a backbone and made some small changes that have changed my whole outlook. To my surprise, the most important changes have been in my own head. As my current families leave or go off to school, the next family will come in to handbooks, enforced rules, and a teamwork approach. I am a business owner not an employee. I'm already happier at my work than I was 3 months ago!

[permanentvacation]

To me, doing daycare is much easier, yet more stressful. Easier because I can sit on my butt most of the day and do what I want, when I want. No boss over my shoulders, no co-workers/office politics. I can go outside when I want, I'm not stuck in some stuffy office. I run the show here, if the kids are misbehaving, I can change activities, put the tv on, or have them take a nap. I can hire my substitute to do my job for me whenever I need/want a break or don't want to deal with my job.

However, it's more stressful because I am the business owner here. It's up to me to make or break my business. I am constantly advertising - even when I am grocery shopping, I am trying to drum up clients! I work/think about my business almost all day and night til I go to sleep! If I were just an employee somewhere, I'd show up at work, punch in, do my 8 hours, punch out, and forget about my job for the night and not even think about it all weekend long! I have to create a curriculum - well, it's not required. They can just play all day, but I don't believe in that. I feel that I should teach them. So, I have to create a curriculum. Yes, I can call my sub when I need to, but I am not going to call her over daily, so when the babies are having a rough day and want to cry all day, I have to deal with that while I'm trying to tend to the preschoolers - BIG HEADACHE by the end of the day! Simply the liability on my shoulders is enough to cause you a stroke! I am always monitoring the daycare area for little pieces of anything that the kids could choke on, worry when the children decide to do sumersaults! etc. that I don't allow, but they get the bright idea to do!

So, yeah, the day to day job of doing daycare, in my opinion, is a easier job than others, however, being a business owner which makes you have your business on your mind for the majority of your day, evening, and weekends, especially being the business owner of a company who is liable for the safety of other people's children makes it very stressful.

[renodeb]

Way harder of a job to be a provider hands down! I love the summer (outtings!) and hate the winter. I have 3-5 kids any given day.(6 is the max for me) It can seem like twice that many when they are bored. You hit it right on the head permanent vacation!
Debbie

[sariejohnston]

My Job right now is pretty stressful i love working with Kids and teaching them, i work with 2 year olds they are a fun group, but this years class is a little more stressful i have a mixture of kids that like to kick, bit, pinch, hit each other every chance they get, and some how they always seem to do it, so i am dealing with always filling out accident reports because someone got bite or someone got hit, one kid normally is doing the biting and no matter what i try times outs talking to her mom, talking to her about it on her level she does it i think for attention.. There some other stuff that goes on at my daycare that i don't like and i am not happy about such as raises, things never being the same, some people not really doing their job the best the can, i feel like we can be and do so much better. .... I edited this due to some personal reasons.

[Mary Poppins]

So, so, so true!!! Sadly, I didn't know this when I started. Oh how different this past year would have been had I found the forum last January instead of this fall. I approached this as a service job. "My job is to be at your beck and call and do things your way." I've found the start of a backbone and made some small changes that have changed my whole outlook. To my surprise, the most important changes have been in my own head. As my current families leave or go off to school, the next family will come in to handbooks, enforced rules, and a teamwork approach. I am a business owner not an employee. I'm already happier at my work than I was 3 months ago!

I feel exactly the same way. This forum has been a godsend and totally changed how I approach this business. For the better!!